


Readjustment

by unwindmyself



Series: curious shapes shift in the dark [24]
Category: True Blood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Female Friendship, Fix-It, Gen, Vampire Family, agency and choices!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-18
Updated: 2014-01-18
Packaged: 2018-01-09 03:56:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1141133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unwindmyself/pseuds/unwindmyself
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Newborn vampires are always happier when they're not just sucking on the bottle and it's always been easier for Pam to find common ground with someone if she gets to dress them, so since she has to at least tolerate her baby sister, those seem like the moment's highest priorities.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Readjustment

**Author's Note:**

> Part two, "Until We Bleed."

By the time that Jessica and Willa have Nora’s hair all done up and Tara’s given up trying to find a half-decent record in this place (clearly any amount of keeping up with modern music that Eric and Pam have done hasn’t translated to what of the vinyl collection they keep sprinkled around their hideaways) Eric has two warmed-up bottles of TruBlood sitting on the counter.

Pam’s been watching all of this from her spot on the dining room table.  Three baby vamps in the room, and she’s never been more thankful she wound up with the progeny she did.  That must be how humans feel about their actual children, but it’s not as common with vampires, considering most of them choose their progeny for reasons other than making a bargain.  It was a pretty good bargain, though.

To wit: while Jessica and Willa have been giggling like the kids they very recently used to be (she assumes Willa’s at least legal, but she looks like she should be preparing for her super-sweet 16) and chattering about who the fuck knows what, Tara’s been adjusting the dials on the record player, both grumbling at the music she’s coming across and swaying her hips to it.

“Dinner’s ready,” Eric calls out when he realizes that nobody’s going to happen over of their own volition.

“Goody,” Pam says dryly, hopping off the table.  She goes to wrap an arm around Tara’s waist and sweep her into an appropriately hungry kiss, which for some reason makes Tara laugh.

“What the fuck’s that for?” she mumbles against her Maker’s lips.

“For nothin’,” Pam retorts, “I’ve just been sitting over here watchin’ you shake your ass without even realizing you’re doing it and I wanna kiss you.”

“Lovebirds,” Eric interrupts archly.  “Quickly, if you please.”

Both of them roll their eyes and enter the kitchen to join the rest of the family.  Jessica’s got one bottle in her hands, sipping out of it through a straw.

“Worried we’re gonna give each other germs?” Pam can’t help but ask.

“Shut up,” Jessica mutters.  “It’s less messy.”

Eric and Nora, meanwhile, are leaning against the island, one of them swigging before handing it to the other, who then repeats the process.  It’s revoltingly synchronized.

“So what flavor’s this?” Willa asks cheerily, eyeing the bottles as the others take drinks.  It’s surprisingly easy for her to slot into thinking of them as flavors, just like it’s the difference between regular and cherry Coke.

“Jessica and Pam and Tara’s bottle is AB positive,” Eric explains patiently.  Until now, it’s been Eric and Nora sharing a bottle, Pam and Tara sharing one, and Jessica sort of just drinking whatever she can get, but they all figure it’s pretty much set now that they’re six instead of five and Eric’s got a newborn to train.  “Ours is O negative.”

“Asshole,” Pam mutters.  “Next time we’re pickin’ who gets what.”

“Next time hurry over to do the picking before all the good stuff’s gone,” Eric challenges, but it’s done archly enough that Pam knows he means _I was saving the good stuff for the baby_.

“Be nice,” Nora whispers to him, because even though she knows the rationale and knows he’s just teasing, she’s hyperconscious of anything that could cause more family drama (which they really don’t need).

Eric mumbles something to Nora in Swedish (" _du älskar det_ _när_ _jag inte är_ _trevlig_ ,” which Pam catches and none of the others do) she starts laughing, and they both have looks like they might keep going like this again, so instead, Pam turns to Willa.  “Can I give you some big sister advice?” she about purrs.

“Uh-huh!  Yeah,” Willa chirps.  She’s a smart girl, but she’s always been just a hint too trusting and eager to please, and even Jessica (who has both of those impulses, too) can see that on her face.

“You’re a vampire now,” Pam says.  “Live dangerously.  You don’t have to dress like you’re in an Olsen twins movie.”

Of course, this makes Jessica pout just slightly and suck down a strawful of blood noisily.  She’s still in her pajamas, for goodness’ sake, the top she loaned Willa is supposed to serve the same purpose and the little skirt is kind of just the first thing she grabbed.   But then again, Pam just wouldn’t be Pam without some snide remark.

Tara raises her eyebrow.  “What the hell do you know about the Olsen twins?” she asks.

Pam shrugs innocently (it’s possible she keeps up with juvenile popular culture just enough to have good insults to throw at people, Jessica thinks).  “And another thing, no newborn should have to drink that fake shit,” she adds, raising her voice enough to get Eric’s attention.

“I think you’re trying to get at something,” Eric says dryly.

“Go and fetch someone nice for her to eat?” Pam asks sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes at him.  “We can hold down the fort.”

Eric looks at his oldest (she looks more like she’s actually trying to do something halfway-nice than send him out of the house so she can run a hazing ritual) and then at his sister (she’s just shrugging) and finally at his new daughter (she looks impossibly excited about this idea, because whether she’d admit it or not she’d kind of been expecting a live dinner).

“Fine,” he says.  “But we’re going to teach you how to drink without killing.  We don’t need to make things any worse.”

“Cool,” Willa exclaims.  “I mean, that makes sense.  I’m…”  Glad?  Grateful?  She’s trying to be polite, but vampire manners are one of the few things her dad’s teams of researchers apparently haven’t been fussed with, ‘cause she hasn’t heard much about them at all.

Eric lingers another moment before Nora shoos him off.  “It’s probably best to teach her that straightaway,” she muses.  “Go, we’ve got it under control.”

So with a nod of his head, Eric speeds out the door.

“Now,” Pam says, all business.  “While Daddy’s out finding you a meal, I think you oughta get a little more gussied up.”

“I do kinda need to wash my hair,” Willa admits.  Well, she’d patted the dirt off her skin before she borrowed Jessica’s clothes, but her hair is another matter.

“You can use our bathroom,” Nora offers.

“Good idea,” Pam interrupts.  “But that’s not entirely what I had in mind.”

Jessica and Tara, who have both been through Pam’s baby vamp makeovers before, heave identical sighs.  Not because it’s bad, but because it’s just so predictable.

“I’m going on guard duty,” Nora says because someone has to and she can tell everyone else is getting roped into this little game, setting her bottle on the counter and moving toward the door as well.  “Got my phone if you need me.”

 

* * *

 

“I guess you didn’t have a chance to pack a suitcase before you got whisked off on this immortal adventure,” Pam says.

Willa’s perched on the edge of the bed, wrapped in an oversized pink bathrobe and towel-drying her hair casually.  “I still have my iPod?” she ventures.

“Lucky for you, but that’s not really gonna help Pam play Barbies,” Tara smirks.  She’s sitting at the dressing table, leaning back with her arms folded.

“Right,” Willa says.  “Got it.”

“So until we can order up some things for you, we’re just gonna have to work with what we’ve got,” Pam continues.  “I don’t think you’re ready for my clothes yet.”  That, and given that she could still be wearing training bras she wouldn’t be able to fill them out.  “But between these two, we oughta be able to whip up something a little more suitable.”

“Pam’s version of suitable is different than almost everyone else’s,” Jessica says, all smirky.

“I didn’t see you complaining when I was dressing you,” Pam retorts.

“I’ve moved on from naughty schoolgirl, thanks,” Jessica defends, though given that she’s changed by now into a red and black plaid mini-dress it doesn’t have much weight behind it.  “And don’t worry,” she says to Willa.  “Tara and I’ve got better taste than to let her sic that kinda getup on you.”

“A _little_ naughty schoolgirl might be okay,” Willa hesitates, smirking.  “Not, like, costumey or anything, but…”

“Get her that purple leather skirt of yours,” Pam instructs Tara.  “That’s at least a start.”

**Author's Note:**

>  _du älskar detnärjag inte ärtrevlig_ ; "you love it when I'm not nice"


End file.
